Jeonbuk Steps Up 49 Billion Won Defense Innovation Cluster Project

Passed Central Investment Review, Boosting Localization of Defense Materials and Components
Expanding into Advanced Composite Materials, Linking Jeonju, Wanju, and Saemangeum

Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province is investing 49 billion won to build an industrial base for advanced composite materials that connects the carbon and defense industries. With the Defense Innovation Cluster project having passed the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s central investment review, the project is expected to gain momentum in helping local companies enter the defense market and localizing defense materials and components.

Jeonbuk Province announced on October 20 that the Defense Innovation Cluster project had received conditional approval in the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s central investment review on October 16. The project is valued at 49 billion won in total, comprising 24.5 billion won in national government funding and 24.5 billion won in local government funding. Jeonbuk Province and Jeonju City will jointly cover the local share, and the project is scheduled to run for five years starting in the second half of this year.

Jeonbuk Province plans to expand the use of its local carbon industry base in the defense sector, including heat-resistant composites, lightweight composites, and specialty materials. Advanced composite materials can be used for their properties, such as being lightweight, strong, or heat-resistant, making them a promising area for defense materials and components.

The project will be carried out around the Jeonju Carbon Industrial Complex, the Wanju County National Industrial Complex, and the Saemangeum area of Buan County. Its core goal is to establish a support system covering the full process, from materials and component development to finished-product design, research and development, testing and evaluation, and procurement.

Key initiatives include ▲building and operating a specialized Defense Innovation Comprehensive Support Center for advanced defense composite materials ▲establishing a research and development and testing and evaluation infrastructure to localize advanced composite materials and components ▲providing tailored commercialization support for individual companies ▲training defense industry professionals and supporting business attraction and startups.

Entering the defense market is difficult for small and venture companies, as the sector requires not only technology development but also testing and evaluation, certification, and procurement procedures. To reduce these challenges, Jeonbuk Province plans to support prototype production and research and development, while establishing a foundation for technology validation and commercialization in the defense sector.

In particular, the province aims to broaden the range of applications for the industry by helping local carbon companies apply their existing materials technologies to the defense sector and enter the defense supply chain. Although the project has passed the central investment review, further procedures remain before it can proceed. Jeonbuk Province plans to fulfill the conditions set in the review and proceed with obtaining the provincial council’s approval, securing the project budget, selecting an implementing agency, and signing an agreement.

Yang Seonhwa, Director General of Jeonbuk Province’s Future Advanced Industries Bureau, said, "The Defense Innovation Cluster project is an important initiative to secure high-value-added future growth engines for Jeonbuk’s carbon industry. We will work without delay to secure the 2026 and 2027 budgets and complete the follow-up administrative procedures, while engaging with residents to build a defense industry ecosystem."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.